Andy Serkis has hinted at his comeback as Alfred Pennyworth in the eagerly awaited The Batman: Part II, although he confesses to not having laid eyes on the script yet.
The much-anticipated follow-up with Robert Pattinson donning the cape as Bruce Wayne/Batman is set to begin filming next spring, aiming for a release in October 2027, a full five years after the first instalment.
In the interim, Serkis has been busy directing an animated take on George Orwell’s Animal Farm and serving as executive producer for the soon-to-be-released Prime Video series, The Girlfriend.
At the premiere of the series, Serkis spoke to the Express, disclosing that he hasn’t been privy to Matt Reeves’ screenplay for the upcoming superhero epic.
“There’s not a lot I can tell you, because there’s not a lot I know,” he admits, reports the Express.
“Other than Matt’s obviously finished the script because he posted a picture of the script.”
Despite not having seen the completed script himself, he remarked: “There’s very little I know about it, other than it’s epic.”
Serkis, famed for his role as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings series, was out promoting The Girlfriend, which is set to premiere on 10th September.
The series stars Olivia Cooke and Robin Wright and delves into the conflicting narratives of a wealthy mother and her son’s new girlfriend.
Wright took the helm for the series’ first three episodes, and Serkis praised her directorial prowess, saying: “To have a vision and maintain that vision whilst being inside such a psychologically complex character, it’s a real challenge.
“And she just made it seem effortless. Just remarkable. Her relationship with the crew and DP, the choices she made, all the way down the line was just faultless.
“I really applaud what she’s done, both in front and behind the camera, I think it’s a remarkable achievement.”
Serkis is amongst a handful of cast members confirmed to be reprising their roles in the Batman franchise, alongside Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon and Colin Farrell as the Penguin.
Farrell has already perused the script, though he’s anticipated to have a limited role as the infamous Gotham City crime boss following his standalone HBO series from last year.
“I haven’t got much to do on it, just a little bit,” he recently told Deadline. “I read the script and it’s extraordinary.”
Filming for The Batman: Part II is commencing as James Gunn’s separate DC Universe gains momentum with the recently announced Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the forthcoming supervillain film Clayface, helmed by James Watkins from a screenplay by Mike Flanagan, is presently filming in Liverpool, with Tom Rhys Harries taking on the role of Batman’s shape-shifting adversary.